Ended my season in NY relatively early sunday morning, been chasing this bird for nearly the whole season with limited success. Was within 70 yards 3 times on him, twice he was in the roost and no dice the third time. He was super pressured and shy'd away from anything above a purr and literately ran from decoys.
He roosts on the side of a ridge with a plowed corn field below and woods behind, probably a 70ft tall ridge. Buddy setup below him incase he went there and i setup on logging road on top, no gobbles what so ever and had hens fly down from roost 20 yards from me. They moved away so i got up and took a stroll, walked 30 yards towards hens and saw one in the road around a bend scratching...she moved off the road. took 10 steps closer and peered up around the bend and holy smokes there's a strutter!!
confirmed he had a beard and at 45 yards the mossberg 835 with colonial arms (star dot) choke shooting 3.5" winchester supreme number 5s took its toll...bird down!
Beautiful 3 yr old with 1" twin spurs, 10 1/8" beard and 18.5lbs...
Last year a smasher was taken off this property, 24lbs, 10" beard 1.25" spurs, so consequently didn't hunt it much, but glad this boy had an opportunity to become king strut!
Your score is 18.5 + 10 + 10 + 20.25 = 58.75
All done in NY...feels good this usually doesn't happen till the last week...